September is our usual time to head to the mountains. We like how it is already chilly there and the leaves are already turning. The best thing is that by the time we arrive back home, fall seems to be in the air.

This year we had a couple of firsts:

Megan caught her first fish ever…a Rainbow Trout!

And we swung down to Taos, New Mexico on our way home. Ty has been fascinated by the pueblos there and wanted to see them for himself. History has become one of our passions since we started homeschooling. Funny how something I hated during my schooling years could become something I love as an adult…does that mean I’m getting old or does it mean I’ve grown up?!

While Ty explored the architecture of the pueblos, I was more interested in the hornos (outdoor ovens). I have wanted one of these in my backyard for years. Read more...

This year our daughter, born on September 4, 2004, turned 4! That’s a lot of fours! But, there is another 4 that makes this little girl very special.

We waited nearly 4 years for her to enter our family. Circumstances set in place by God and man gave us a time frame we never expected. Two back-to-back military deployments with a 2nd trimester miscarriage as well caused what I had truly believed would take only months to become years.

Many of you have followed my Quiverfull posts and know the agony I felt and the lessons I learned during this season of waiting. Pride gave way to discontentment gave way to anger gave way to desperation gave way to complete surrender to the Lord. From that surrender came “God’s Sweet Promise” ~ our Melia Alyse. Read more...

The Lord moved us to the city in August of 2007. Shortly after that, we “accidentally” found a home church in the area that was Family-Integrated, meaning the entire family was together to worship the entire time. In this small gathering was a family who had lost 3 of their 9 children. It was heart-wrentching to think about, but little did I know that soon I would face the death of a child and not just “think” about it, but “live” it.

All through Emmy’s illness, Kyle and Lynnette were there. Christmas Eve, as we waited to be released from the hospital after 3 long weeks, Kyle sat with us and played his guitar and sang to little Emily. Six weeks later, he would sing at her funeral. Read more...

I recently posted this thought on MOMYS and thought I would share it here as well…

I have a dear friend w/ 10 children (yes, same family living in the garage…bet you feel like you know them by now, huh?) who was really struggling w/ never getting everything done on her To-Do List. She felt like a failure every single day. After lamenting this fact to her husband, he responded with a rather creative way to give her some perspective. He asked her to make a What-I-Did List for a whole week.

With the help of her oldest child, she wrote down every little thing she did from changing diapers, to taking a potty-training child to the bathroom, to cooking meals, to cleaning up an unexpected mess. Here she thought she was somehow squandering time, only to realize she truly was a VERY busy woman. Read more...

It was that golden opportunity every mother dreams of…a little boy who WANTS to potty train! However, it has come at a most inopportune time.

I awake Monday morning to a little boy in a rather soggy diaper begging me to go to the bathroom. No way am I going to pass this up! However, as I am helping him get situated I realize this is NOT a good week for this. We leave on vacation soon…very soon. It’s a long drive and I am not confidant that less than a week is enough time to fully potty train a little boy…a girl…maybe…a boy…nope. But, it’s too late. He’s up there. He’s smilin’. And I am trapped.

So, I set the timer, put on my Superwoman cape, and I start my list of To-Dos. At the top is Potty Train. Below that follows pack, finish all sorts of preparations, teach school, oh yeah, and be pregnant. Read more...

As a child, every August meant there would be one meal consisting only of watermelon and rull kuka. Yummy!

I imagine all of you know what watermelon is, but most of you are probably scratching your heads at the rull kuka? Well, my German mother, of Mennonite background, managed to fill my stomach with many dishes that no one else I knew ate. In fact, I was sitting down to a school lunch of pancakes when I realized that these fat, round things on my plate were what everyone else considered pancakes, while I knew only thin, rolled-up-crepe-like delicacies. I’m still not real fond of those thick things the rest of you eat.

So, back to the rull kuka. Many people put salt on their watermelon, for some unknown reason. My family eats these salty, fried rectangles of bread instead. In case you feel daring and have some watermelon nearby, here is the recipe… Read more...

Shopping Day is going to be exhausting no matter how you slice it. At one point in time, I was going to 3 different stores to buy everything I needed. When I am pregnant, my husband asks that I choose the one store where I can get everything and buy from there exclusively. This will have to be a decision between you and your husband, but remember, your time and energy is worth a lot.

The next decision that must be made is whether or not to take all the children or just some of the children. I will be honest with you…even if you are a small family, you will most likely need more than one cart; therefore, needing a helper of some sorts. At one point in time, my husband was able to come and help, so we took all the children. Occasionally, I have taken all the children by myself. Now, I typically take my oldest to help out while my husband stays home with everyone else. I honestly can’t say that one way is better than another. They all have their merits and their downfalls. Read more...

To get started with your grocery list, think about the various sections of a grocery store. You have dairy, fresh fruits & veggies, breads, etc. My grocery list is based off of this as well as how my pantry and cupboards are lined out. Come up with a way that works for you.

Now, take a look at your meals. What items do you need to make those specific meals?

What items do you use on a regular basis that are not covered by what is needed for your meals? What is currently in your pantry? The way I started was by taking my friend’s list and then taking off what our family never uses that her family does and adding what I needed for my meal list. This is one case where cheating is allowed! Read more...

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Just 11 short days after this photo was taken, our 5th child, Emily, died. To read her story click on her picture. To find resources for grieving families, visit The Grieving Mother section of this site.